Road vehicle



ROAD VEHICLE Filed Feb. 2o, 1959 r rf gg man.

D. c. RocKoLA May 27, 1941.

Ede/afar az/d C Rockola May 27,1941. D. c. RocKoLA Y 2,243,124.

l ROAD VEHICLE A Filed Feb. 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Planted Mey 27,1941 man vcmcu:

` DavidGBeckolmChicagoJlLaligntoBoek'- Omi Delaware.

01a Manufacturing acorporaticnoi umarmen I .February se, 193s. ser-m No.:sans

(crise-ss) This invention relates to improvements VehiGleS. f'

one object vor the invention is .to provide an improved cushioned orfloating mounting i'or wheels of a vehicle such as a xmtorcycle o! thescooter-type, for example. whereby the wheels,

either front or rear or both, are movable against spring resistancerelative to a load carrying frame for resiliently Vsupporting the' frameunder imposed loads and cushioning the same against road impactsimparted to the wheels. l Y

Other objects of the invention relate to various features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from aconsideration of the following specificationand accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a broken vertical elevation of a vehicle embodying the presentimprovements and taken approximately on the line I-I of Fig. 2;

Flg. 2 is a broken top plan of thestructure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the reardrive wheel and associatedmechanism shown in Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view takenon line 4--4 of Fig.y2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view o1' the iront wheel mounting mechanism oi'the vehicle; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken elevation of the iront wheel and vwheelmounting mechanism looking to the right in 5.

In the drawings, IIl indicates generally a main frame which at its rearembraces the rear drive wheel of the vehicle and at its forward end isprovided with an upstanding support or post to which the steering frameor fork II is pivotally attached by any approved means. The member I Iwhich in the embodiment illustrated comprises a pair of posts I Ia mayalso be considered as part of the main frame in that a portion of theload carried by the vehicle is imposed thereon.

A pneumatic front wheel I2 is mounted between the posts or arms I Ia ofthe member I I by means of a U-shaped or yoke-like auxiliary frame I3,in the ends of which is journalled or attached the front axle Il-oi thewheel. The lower ends oi the member I Ia are pivotally attached as at IIto the auxiliary frame I3 on an axis disposeda f suitable distance tothe rear oi the axis of rotation of the wheel I2. Tension springs I! areattached to the yoke member. I3 at points to the rear of the axis of the'pivot members I5 and are also attached to the member II, as to thelower of two cross bars I1. When a load is imposed on the vehicle, adownward thrust is exerted on the frame I8 at the axis of the pivotmembers I5, the frame tending to pivot or turn about the axle I4. Thismovement is resisted, however, by the springs Il, the tension oi' whichis sunlcient to resist.

excessive downward swinging movementv of the member I3 and serve tocushion or filoat the Imposed loadat the forward end ot the vehicle.

In travei, the road impacts imparted' to the front wheel which tend tothrustit upwardly are partially absorbed by the spring Ib. thus avoidingthe imposition oi such impacts or upward thrusts directly and with fulltorce on the frame member II. Such impacts delivered to the front wheelbyv an obstruction in the road tend to .rock the frame I3counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 5 about thel axis of the pivotmembers Il and against the tension of the springs. The construction thusnot only provides a cushioned support for the imposed load but it actsas a shock absorber for the vehicle and improves the riding qualitiesthereof.

The main trame Il supports a motor indicated diagrammatically by thenumeral Il and may also be provided with suitable suppOrts I92l forsupporting a drivers seat (not shown) as well as for partiallysupporting a casing or body 2| indicated fragmentarily in Fig. 1- which`encloses the drive wheel 22, motor Il and associated mechanism. Thedrive wheel 22 as shown in Fig. 3 is located within the ooniines of themain frame Il, The wheel 22 is mounted on a driven tube or sleeve 2,3which is Journalled on a non-rotating axle 2l, the particularconstruction of which is not per se pertinent to the presentimprovements. The sleeve 22 is provided with a sprocket 25 operable by achain 2l which in tum is driven by a sprocket 21 mounted on a shaft 22ofy the motor Il and operable from the drive shaft of the motor by anyapproved mechanism such as by one or more belts 2H! trained over pulleys3| and 22, respectively. and operable by pulleys (not shown) which maybe mounted on the crank shaft of the motor. This driving mechanismreferred to is more particularly shown and described in my copendingapplication, Serial Number 257.395, illed February 20, 1939.

, The axle 2l is mounted in opposite sides of a U-shaped auxiliary frame32, the forward ends oi' which are pivotally secured to the main frameyl resilient support between the rear portion oi the wardly into thespring 38 and at their lower ends V are directed outwardly to providefeet or stops 4I arranged to contact or bottom on a pad of cushioningmaterial 42 such as of rubber, or the like. The pads I2 are supported bya horizontal flange or seat 43 which may be formed, as illustrated inFig. 4, integrally with the member 33. The cushioning structures Justdescribed are shown in Fig. 2 as being located a short distanceforwardly of the wheel axle although such mem-v bers of differentcushioning characteristics may be located in other convenient positionsto provide desirable floating inter-connections between the main framei3 and the auxiliary frame 33.

'I'he load imposed on the main frame, that is, the load oi the motor I3and associated parts as well as the carried load, whether goods orpassenger, tends to move the main frame downwardly, which movement atthe rear of the vehicle is of course resisted by the springs 33, saidsprings as mentioned above, being supported at theiry lower ends by theauxiliary frame 33 which in turn is supported upon the axle 24 on whichthe wheel 22 is mounted.' The entire vehicle body is thus springsupported, both at the front and rear ends thereof. Road impactsimparted to the rear wheel or wheels 22 exert upward thrusts on theauxiliary frame 33 and are in turn imparted without excessive shock tothe main frame and the body of the vehicle and supported load by reasonof the interposed resilient or cushioning members 38 as will be seen.The main frame therefore and body and carried loads are sup ported onthe auxiliary frames I3 and 33 at the front and rear, respectively, inthe manner described to provide a floating support for the main frameand its load, thus shielding the same from excessive road impacts andimproving the riding qualities of the vehicle. It will be understoodthat the floating supports described may be accommodated to differentloads by the use of springs having the required cushioningcharacteristics or by locating such springs at different distances fromthe pivotal axes of the respective auxiliary4 frames I3 and '33.

bodiments of my improvements for the purpose of illustration, it will beapparent that various changes may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit oi. the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

1. In a road vehicle comprising a horizontal main frame, a motorsupported thereby provided with a rotary driving member having an axisdisposed transversely of said frame, a drive wheel and axle assemblylocated between side portions of said main frame, means operable by saiddriving member for driving said wheel, and means for accommodatingrelative vertical movement of said wheel and axle assembly with respectto said main frame comprising a spring-cushioned auxiliary trame oi'U-shape disposed'between the side members of the main frame and carryingsaid assembly and pivotally attached adjacent the ends of thearms'thereof to said main frame on an axis coincident with thetransverse axis of said driving member.

2. In a road vehicle, a main load carrying frame, an auxiliary frame ofU-shape disposed within said main frame and pivotally attached adjacentthe ends thereof to said main frame, a ground wheel and axle assemblycarried by said auxiliary frame, spring cushioning members at each sideof said main frame and operating on said auxiliary frame for resilientlysupporting said main frame and cushioning the latter against roadimpacts imparted by said wheel to said auxiliary frame,.a motor carriedby said main frame and provided with a rotary drive member locatedcoaxially with reference to the pivotal axis of said auxiliary frame,and driving means operable by said drive member for driving said wheel.

3. In a road vehicle comprising a main bodysupporting frame, a drivingmotor mountedon said frame provided with a drive member having an axisdisposed transversely of the frame, an

auxiliary frame disposed within said main frame,

and pivotally secured thereto on an axis coincident with the axis ofsaid driving member, a drive wheel carried by said auxiliary frame -andarranged to be driven by said motor drive member, a pair of cushionmembers carried by said main frame for engagement by said auxiliaryframe for limiting downward swinging movement thereof with respect tosaid main frame. and a pair of spring members secured to said main frameand acting on said auxiliary frame for cushioning upward movement of theauxiliary frame relative to the main frame under stresses of imposed`loads on the main frame and road shocks imparted to the drive wheel.

. DAVID C. ROCKOLA.

